What Matters the Most
by OverdoseWarning
Summary: They were just two girls minding their own business. But those stupid rings got in the way. And now the Varia is back with a vengeance and ready to take anything of importance to the guardians protecting them. OCxYamamoto OCxHibari


**DISCLAIMER**: In _no way_ do I own _any part_ of Hitman Reborn, unfortunately.

**AN**: I'm writing this story with my best friend. This fanfiction is AU and will not involve the Millefiore plot at all. Like seriously, according to this story, it never really happened. We're not even that far in the anime yet, so we're not even going to touch on that yet.

So PLEASE don't comment saying we're getting things so wrong, because most likely that will happen. Just saying.

The characters (OC and regular) will be of college age. So around 20-23? Something like that.

They're will be some strong language every once in a while, and eventually there will be some mature content and all that good stuff, so don't say we didn't warn you.

Alright! Here we go!

The temporary head-quarters were damp and a bit murky, but what else would anyone expect, it was located in a basement. The walls held in no heat and it reeked of morning dew or something closely associated with it, but Reborn's expression held nothing more than calm nonchalance.

He stared at the two men across the table, completely unreadable, but that was nothing new for him. Yes, he was an infant—not by choice, mind you—but he was much wiser than his years. Time and experience taught him patience, even in times of possible crisis like this.

His subordinates across from him fidgeted in their seats, occasionally clicking their fingernails on the long wooden table they currently sat at. Waiting. Expectant.

"Tamaki, Tony," Reborn nodded respectfully towards each of them. "I assume you both know why we're here," he said, his eyes regarding the two men in front of him.

Tamaki clenched his jaw. As the Vongola's head medic, he considered himself smart enough to realize what the situation was here. But just to be safe, on the off chance it didn't have to do with his daughter or the daughter of the man and friend sitting next to him, he decided it was best to just stay quiet. And Tony's stubbornness was sure to render him silent.

"It's the Varia," Reborn said. Tony let out a breath, but not one of relief. He was expecting this. There had been rumor that the Varia wanted revenge, to take their "rightful place" as the guardians and holders of the Vongola rings.

"So then it's true," Tamaki said. It was more of a statement than a question.

Reborn nodded once, "We encountered some crucial information of an attack, but we're not 100% sure. But we need to be prepared for the worst. As you know, both of your daughters have possession of Vongola rings. You gave it to them, after all."

The two men swallowed, knowing what was coming next.

"They still know nothing of the importance of those rings, I'm assuming?"

"Nothing, sir."

"I see," Reborn's expression was deadly calm. "How long are you going to keep this up? This charade; keeping them in the dark is going to do nothing but hurt them in the end, you know that right? I think it's time we do something, before it's too late."

* * *

It wasn't like she _hated_ school. In fact, there were some days Rin actually enjoyed her classes—considering the dumb-asses she had to put up with on a daily basis. But then there were days like this, where skipping class for a quick cigarette was just too tempting to pass up.

The air was a bit cooler on the roof. It had a calming affect, which was much needed after the events that took place earlier that day. The nicotine worked its way through her system quickly and she let out a relaxed breath that she felt like she had been holding since that conversation with her mom that morning. What was it about? Right, it was something about where her dad was again. It wasn't like it was uncommon for her dad to be gone. He had this job after all, what ever that job was. Not like he'd ever tell _her._ Hell, did he even tell her mom?

But something in that one word answer, the same word her mother used almost every time her dad left for work trips, triggered this underlying frustration or something.

"Away." Of course he was away, that was obvious.

"…Away. Where is he this time? Tokyo? Kyoto?" Rin had said, biting back an attitude her mom was always so keen on noticing. It wasn't a difficult question, but somehow her mom always evaded it.

"He's just away Rin, I'm going to do laundry today so is there anything you want washed?" And that's how it ended. No different from any other day. But still it left Rin irritated and just itching for a smoke.

It didn't get any better when she got into her class, either. Lee, that boy she sat next to, apparently couldn't help being a douche-bag—but what else was new? It was stupid comment after stupid comment and today they were just downright insulting. Normally it was just your average bitching-and-moaning about who the hell cares, but today his words were almost striking a cord, and what pissed her off the most was that she couldn't even really remember what he had said or why it was even insulting to begin with. What was up with that? She must have _really_ needed a boge.

So there she was, on the roof of her Community College—up a ladder in an alleyway only she and her best friends new about—during her Anthropology class, smoking the best cigarette she's probably had in a while. She brushed her dark hair out of her face before it started to stick to her forehead from the heat. Too bad she was the only one up there or they could have seen the newly added honey blonde streaks underneath some layers of hair on her bangs that she so happily prided over.

She told her friends she would only be up there for 10 minutes, because that was "all she needed". But of course they new better than that. She would most likely be up there until she had to leave for her kick boxing class.

Now that was something she could look forward to. That was probably the only sport or hobby she did that she didn't mind, compared to the handful of seemingly useless activities her dad had made her do since she could remember. There was soccer, swimming, martial arts, kick-boxing, you name it.

At least she got to take them with Arisa. Her dad made her take them, too, for some reason. That's actually how they met. When they were younger, they ended up being in practically all the same after school activities, and they've been best friends ever since, which some people found funny, considering they were almost complete opposites. But that's what Arisa said was so great about their friendship. It was like they were two halves that fit each other perfectly, and Rin couldn't agree more, no matter how corny it sounded when Arisa said it.

Arisa was shorter than Rin, no taller than 5'2. Her long, dirty blonde hair, fair skin, and blue eyes contrasted with Rin's shoulder length brown hair, chocolate eyes, and dark skin, tanned by the sun and her Italian heritage.

Rin's phone buzzed.

"I would love to go up to the roof with you and inhale even more of your toxic cancer sticks, but I have gymnastics soon," Arisa texted with a sad face posted at the end. Normally Ari would love gymnastics practice. She was crazy about the sport. But the team she recently joined in school was full of "prissy, self-absorbed bitches", she called them, and it made practice bothersome and almost lonely at times when everyone else made it a point to exclude her.

"Fuck that, don't go. Come up to the roof!" Rin texted back.

"I really can't, Yumi would kill me if I missed another practice lol I'll meet up with you after your kick-boxing. Text me when you get out and we'll go get iced coffee!" Yumi was the head captain of the gymnastics team and the biggest bitch of them all. She was your stereotypical, dyed blonde, skinny, curvy-in-all-the-right-places kind of girl and everyone loved her. Everyone loved the rest of the team too, actually; guys, especially. It's like known around campus that the gymnastics team had the most desirable girls on it. And they tried to make it clear to Arisa that they had no idea why she even got in the team. They never actually said anything, but she felt it. She was pretty intuitive and picked up on things quickly.

Rin didn't even bother texting Cheyenne to come up. Chey was better at all-things-school than she was, and was a bit more motivated when it came to actually going to class. Even though it didn't hurt to try and text her other best friend anyway, she decided against it. Whatever, it didn't matter. Her day was awful enough anyway and she just wanted to relax. Getting her mind off of stupid family secrets (if that's even what they were) and stupid boys and tests that she didn't study for were of higher priority.

She sighed, thinking all over again about her shitty day so far. It was as though a permanent scowl was etched on to her face that wouldn't go away until she calmed down.

Downstairs on the second floor, Arisa and Cheyenne waited out side their classrooms until they had to leave for class, or in Arisa's case, practice.

"I kind of wish there was some other gymnastics team in this school I could join." Arisa said with a slight pout.

"Seriously, Ari, why don't you just quit? They're such bitchy girls and you have to deal with them like, what, every day? I wouldn't take that." Chey said, hand on her hip.

"I know, but I really love gymnastics and this is the only way I can do it. My mom can't afford it anymore, and it's not like Sorano's gonna let my dad chip in on the cost."

"You're step mother? Oh great," Chey said sarcastically. Arisa just nodded. Complaining about her step mom just got old. Her dad wasn't going to leave the woman. And it's not like anything would switch her nasty personality off anyway. In all honesty, it seemed better to just try and ignore it altogether. "Rin could get her to pay the money for your gymnastics. She has her ways." Arisa grinned at that, thinking about Rin and how she stands up for her when it comes to Sorano. Both girls laughed at that thought.

Their laughter came to a dead stop when they spotted Hibari a few feet away. Everyone in the hallway seemed to turn away and absolutely no one made eye contact with him, God forbid. No one got in the way of Hibari Kyoya, if they wanted to keep living, that is.

He was a year older than Arisa, Rin and Cheyenne, and on the school's disciplinary committee. Really though, only this school would have one of those. If this was a high school they would probably force everyone to wear a school uniform. Thank god college life grants _some_ kind of independence and individuality.

But there he was, sporting his badge-thing, or whatever it was, on his sleeve for the world to see. And the world _saw_ it; and practically_ ran_ from it.

Arisa looked out of the corner of her eye when he passed and saw his dark hair pass through the doors that lead to the ladder to get to the roof.

The same roof that Rin was currently on. Illegally. And everyone knew how Hibari felt about smoking on school property when it wasn't in designated areas.

Arisa and Chey just looked at each other for a second, this information just starting to sink in. Holy Crap.

Cheyenne speed-texted Rin to get out of there A.S.A.P because the devil incarnate was on his way up there.

Rin read the text message out loud, "I heard he doesn't care about hitting girls…what? You've got to be kidding." She wasn't even done with her cigarette!

Just then the roof's metal door screeched open and Hibari stood in the doorway. Rin's quiet time was disturbed and she was not happy. She turned to him, shooting him a firm glare, and a pretty intense one at that.

It wasn't obvious to anyone around him because he hides it from the world so well, but that look kind of took him off guard. He was so used to everyone turning the other way when he was around and here was this girl, looking directly at him, obviously pissed off.

But oddly enough, that scowl left her face when his pet bird, Hibird, landed on his usual place on his shoulder. Her eyes got big and curious and amused, and when she got up, he almost thought she was walking his way. Wait, she was walking his way.

Rin stopped right in front of him, taking a puff of her cigarette. Was she taunting him?

"You know, you're not so scary with that cute bird on your shoulder like that," a smirk played at her lips. She pet the bird delicately, her arm extended enough that he could see a tattoo of a yellow canary in a ribcage on the inside of her left forearm. "Hey cutie," her smile was sincere and directed at the bird, not him, he noted.

She started to walk away, and with one last puff, she flicked the cigarette off the roof with ease. That would have been tasteful and dramatic even, if there wasn't the distant sound of an "oh my god!" coming from the ground below them, which they both heard but she just kept walking. The cigarette must have landed on some guy.

Hibari was left standing on the roof, totally confused.


End file.
